Reader Question Dear Austin, I have a 1994 Ford Thunderbird which runs perfectly fine in spite of having 105,000 miles on it. I have a problem with its air-conditioning unit. When I turn on the unit for cooling, only the blower works but does not blow the cool air I expect it to. The heater works okay.

I brought it to service shop for a thorough look over, and they say I’ll have to shell out around $1,000.00 for a total overhaul of the air-conditioning unit. Are they being honest about their estimates and diagnosis, or does my old car just need a freon refill?

Thanks, Sal

Sal, Air conditioning work is the most expensive work that can be performed. It is VERY common for 1990 Ford vehicles to have problems with a/c systems, transmissions and power steering pumps.

$1,000 for replacing an a/c compressor or an evaporator is not out of line. To experiment whether or not your system has a leak, you can just install Freon in the system and see how long it takes to leak out (this could prove to be costly if the leak is large and your new Freon escapes in a few days). If you have a faulty compressor, just adding Freon will not do you any good until you replace the air compressor.